Record Details

NHER Number:37383
Type of record:Monument
Name:Late Saxon and medieval features at 1 Firs Avenue

Summary

Archaeological work at this site in 2002 identified various features of probable Late Saxon to early medieval date, including post-holes, gullies, pits and ditches. A row of large post holes probably represented the remains of a later, medieval building. The foundations of a more recent flint and brick structure were also identified, which was potentially associated with a former dwelling known as 'Old Hall' - the site of which is marked on early Ordnance Survey maps (NHER 8590). This was potentially the building depicted on the 1838 Tithe Map, which was apparently known as the 'Manor House' and completely demolished after it burnt down towards the end the 19th century.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:TG 49371 15102
Map Sheet:TG41NE
Parish:ORMESBY ST MARGARET WITH SCRATBY, GREAT YARMOUTH, NORFOLK

Full description

September 2002. Trial Trenching.
Three trenches dug within an area of proposed housing development. Contexts 1 - 47 used.
Archaeologically-significant remains identified included a very large pit, linear features, small pits or post holes, part of a wall or wall footing and a probable well.
Pottery, mostly medieval, was recovered from several of the excavated features.
See report (S1) for further details.
J. Allen (NLA), 22 October 2002.

December 2002. Excavation.
Excavation of four areas within the footprints of the proposed residential dwellings. Contexts 50-383.
Various features including ditches, gullies, pits and post-holes; many of which contained small amounts of Late Saxon or early medieval pottery. A series of presumably agricultural ditches and gullies in the southern part of the site were post-dated by a row of large post-holes that were probably part of some form of medieval building. A later building represented by flint and brick footings and mortar and cobbled surfaces was potentially associated with the 'Old Hall' that apparently once stood on or close to this location. The site of this building is marked on early Ordnance Survey maps but its nature remains uncertain. A dwelling known as the Manor House is known to have stood on the site until it burnt down in the late 19th century but as no trace of this survives it is impossible to say whether 'Old Hall' is a reference to this building or an earlier structure (see NHER 8580 for further details).
See publication draft (S2) and assessment report (S3) for further details. The results of this work are also summarised in (S4).
P. Watkins (HES), 18 May 2015. Amended 12 August 2019.

A combined archive comprising material from both phases of archaeological work at this site has been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2017.15).
P. Watkins (HES), 12 August 2019.

Monument Types

  • BUILDING (Unknown date)
  • GULLY (Unknown date)
  • LINEAR FEATURE (Unknown date)
  • POST HOLE (Unknown date)
  • WELL (Unknown date)
  • FINDSPOT (Prehistoric - 1000000 BC to 42 AD)
  • BUILDING (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
  • BUILDING (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • FLOOR (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • GULLY (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • PIT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • POST HOLE (Medieval to 21st Century - 1066 AD to 2100 AD)
  • WALL (Medieval to 19th Century - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
  • WELL (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • BUILDING (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • FLOOR (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Associated Finds

  • BURNT FLINT (Lower Palaeolithic to Late Iron Age - 500000 BC? to 42 AD?)
  • LITHIC IMPLEMENT (Lower Palaeolithic to Late Iron Age - 500000 BC to 42 AD)
  • POT (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
  • ANIMAL REMAINS (Medieval to 19th Century - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
  • ARCHITECTURAL FRAGMENT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • ARCHITECTURAL FRAGMENT (Medieval to 19th Century - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
  • OYSTER SHELL (Medieval to 19th Century - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
  • POT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • POT (Medieval to 19th Century - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
  • QUERN (Medieval - 1066 AD? to 1539 AD?)
  • BLADE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • BOTTLE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • BUCKLE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • POST (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • POT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • POST (Early 20th Century to 21st Century - 1901 AD to 2050 AD)

Protected Status - none

Sources and further reading

---Secondary File: Secondary File.
<S1>Unpublished Contractor Report: Bates, S. 2002. Report on an Archaeological Evaluation at 1 Firs Avenue, Ormesby St Margaret. Norfolk Archaeological Unit. 744.
<S2>Unpublished Report: Bates, S. 2004. Late Saxon, Medieval and Post Medieval Settlement: Excavation at Firs Avenue and West Avenue, Ormesby St Margaret, Norfolk, 2002. Publication draft.
<S3>Unpublished Contractor Report: Bates, S. 2003. An Archaeological Excavation at Firs Avenue, Ormesby St Margaret, Norfolk. Including A Post-Fieldwork Assessment of Potential for Analysis and Updated Project Design. Norfolk Archaeological Unit. 789.
<S4>Article in Serial: Gurney, D. and Penn, K. (eds). 2003. Excavations and Surveys in Norfolk, 2002. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol XLIV Pt II pp 368-384. p 379.

Related records - none

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